May 2nd: The Red Baron

German World War I air ace Manfred Richtofen - "The Red Baron" was born on this date in 1892.

Tableau of the Red Baron's fatal crash, WWI Air Museum,
Blenheim, NZ

1. He actually was a baron, a Freiherr (literally "Free Lord"), a German noble title which is often translated as "Baron".
2. In his lifetime, he wasn't usually described as "The Red Baron" but rather as "The Red Battle Flyer" or "The Red Fighter Pilot". In France, he was called "The Red Devil" or "Little Red", and in Britain he was sometimes referred to as "Red Knight".
3. He was born in Silesia, which is now part of Poland.
4. Initially his military career was as a cavalry officer, and that's what he was doing when World War I began. However, since horses were not all that useful in trench warfare, Richtofen's unit was dismounted and became dispatch runners and telephone operators. Frustrated at not being able to participate in combat, he requested a transfer to Imperial German Army Air Service, saying, "I have not gone to war in order to collect cheese and eggs, but for another purpose".
5. The first time he flew an aircraft, he crashed it.
6. At first, every time he shot down an enemy plane, he asked a Berlin jeweller to make a silver cup for him, engraved with the date and the type of plane downed. He had 60 of them made, but by then there was a shortage of silver in Germany. Richtofen preferred not to have a cup at all rather than accept one in any other metal.
7. He was commander of Jagdgeschwader 1, one of a number of tactical units which could move quickly to whichever location they were needed. Richtofen's unit used tents, trains and caravans, and, with their bright red aircraft, soon became known as "The Flying Circus" - a name which, in the 1960s, inspired a certain group of comedians who were looking for a name for their TV show!
8. Richtofen was killed on 21 April 1918, when he was chasing a Sopwith Camel piloted by Canadian pilot, Wilfred May. Although it was ill-advised to fly at very low altitudes, Richtofen was flying low, and the plane which attacked him, piloted by another Canadian, Arthur Brown, had to dive sharply in order to intervene in the dog fight, and then climb rapidly so as not to hit the ground. Arthur Brown was officially credited with firing the fatal shot, but all the evidence suggests that the shot could only have been fired from the ground, so nobody really knows who killed the Red Baron (although according to the 1960s hit song, it was Snoopy).
9. A serious head injury suffered by Richtofen in July 1917 may have caused his death as lasting damage could have affected his judgement. Or he could have been suffering from cumulative combat stress, making him fail to observe his usual precautions.
10. Allied squadrons sent wreaths to the Red Baron's funeral. One was inscribed with the words, "To Our Gallant and Worthy Foe".